EXIT INTERVIEW: Dorell Wright’s down year might be to the benefit of the Sixers

With Wright,
confidence bred success. So when the swingman actually knew his role,
toward the end of a playoff-free campaign with the 76ers, he played
better. His averages went up. A jumpshooter by trade, Wright even
became proficient at driving the lane. And for a team that had the
second fewest free-throw attempts in the NBA, that wasn’t such a bad
thing.

Wright was a $4
million hit to the salary cap, but a worthwhile one. He played defense,
something his counterpart Nick Young did not. He stayed healthy, unlike
his other wing-mate Jason Richardson. And believe it or
not, his 3-point shooting percentage (37.4) was above his career
average.

Quick assessment: All
of that manifests in this fashion: It would be in the Sixers’ best
interests to re-sign Wright, a free agent.

Wright, when asked
toward the end of the season whether he’d be back in Philly, said, “I'm
the type of dude who thought I'd be in Miami my whole career, so it's
always good to be somewhere you're comfortable with and
familiar with and happy with. I've had a good year here. I definitely
wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind hanging with new guys, a new staff, a
great group of guys and in an organization that cares and with
passionate fans.”

Wright has said it
took a while to feel comfortable, but when he did, he thrived. The
Sixers, assuming they free up some cap space via trade or are willing to
sign Wright at or near his salary from this past season,
will undoubtedly offer Wright. And that’s not necessarily such a bad
thing.